Why now is the time to empower your women.
As I speak to people in my community, I hear about companies who dare to make a difference for women in their organisation. I see bold decisions being made. I see women feeling supported; others feeling resentful for thinking that they have been promoted based on their gender rather than on merit. I see men believing change is necessary but feeling alienated as a result.
Research shows that when women are well represented at the top, companies are 50 percent more likely to outperform their peers (McKinsey and Company Diversity wins 2020). There is no doubt that a balanced workforce brings many benefits to the workplace, the economy and humanity. However this is a journey we need to go on together - one which should be inclusive of all genders. To get to gender equality and gender balance, we need the support of one another. We need to hone into creating an environment and a culture in which both men and women can thrive equally.
The current facts tell us that while we have taken significant steps forward but there is still some way to go. Now more than ever before is the time to make a change. The impact of the global pandemic could see us undo all the work that has already been done.
Women are paid 23% less than men globally
The percentage of women on FTSE 100 boards is 34.5% and 31.9% for FTSE 250 boards
Mothers are more than three times as likely as fathers to be responsible for most of the housework and caregiving
1 in 4 women are now considering downshifting and leaving the workplace.
So what can we all do to make a difference? I believe that we all have a part to play and organisation can make a real difference.
# Create a flexible environment which allows for all employees to work around family requirements. Measure performance based on output - not on physical presence.
# Invest in your managers - Educate them on gender biases. Support them with training on how to successfully manage women and men alike.
# Create policies which allow employees to switch off when they need it most. What about having mental health days / out of hours emailing policies /flexible thinking time slots in the week etc / extra benefit - pick a day to “cherish time with your family”. Where possible able your employees to manage their own “working days”.
#Invest in your women returning from maternity leave. Confidence and the entitlement gap (feeling they are not entitled and don’t deserve to succeed as much as men) - are what holds women back most.
# Have coffee catch ups with your employees which aren’t just focused on work. Get to know them personally.
# Listen out for biases and tackle them front on. Women are often the first to hold biases on gender.
# Give women around you the confidence they need to apply for their next role. Invest in coaching and mentoring and in turn give them the opportunity to be a coach/mentor.
# When you identify your talent - let them know about it and support them to achieve their next step.
# Push for 50/50 representation of women and men when recruiting for a new role
# Create a think tank in your organisation to help with pushing the dial on gender balance. Bring women and men on this journey.
Today is International Woman’s Day. Let’s celebrate the small wins and continue to dream big. I would love to hear what you have been doing to support gender balance and equality. Now is the time to #choosetochallenge.